Globally, it is estimated that around 2 billion people ingest drinking water that is contaminated with feces and other harmful materials, according to the World Health Organization, or WHO. This is a staggering amount that shows just how unsafe drinking water can be, and how important it is to start back flow testing as soon as possible for your home, business, or guest house. But, who can you turn to for back flow testing? Is it even worth it?
Fortunately, many cities in America, including Naperville in Illinois, have safety programs in place to protect the public water supply against these harmful contaminants. However, it’s still important to know the signs of backflow so you can get the help you need to ensure your family’s drinking water remains safe.
What is Backflow Testing?
When your home’s water supply gets contaminated with other water sources, either from your city or nearby sewer lines, this is known as backflow. Some signs you might be experiencing backflow include:
- Be visibly yellow or have a rusty color
- Give off a smell like sulfur, which has also been described as a rotten egg smell
- Have a bad taste to it
- Water that makes you sick immediately after
- Water that has sediment, which can be seen if you leave it to sit in a cup and the sediment eventually travels down to the bottom of the cup
If you see any of these signs in your home’s drinking water, it could be a sign that your drinking water is now contaminated thanks to a backflow in the city’s water supply.
What Causes Backflow?
Back pressure, for instance from a fire protection system, can cause backflow, therefore causing the water that is supposed to safely flow one way (from the water system into your home) to flow another way, be mixed with contaminants, and then make its way back to your home.
Contaminated water might also flow into your home if, for example, the pressure in your water tank is lower than the pressure in the pressure in the water system. This is known as back siphonage.
How Do I Prevent Backflow?
For the layperson, it’s difficult to prevent backflow or even understand it fully. Backflow is a complex process that requires professional testing. For instance, there are Naperville backflow testing services that are skilled in understanding the layout of Chicago or nearby Illinois.
These testing services will help look for signs of backflow, install a backflow device to protect commercial or residential properties from backflow, and provide follow-up testing to ensure any issues with backflow are being taken care of. They will also report all data to the city and inform the city of potential backflow, playing an important roll in protecting citizens against contaminated drinking water.
Why you Need Backflow Testing Services
Even in the United States and in big cities like Chicago and Naperville, backflow can be a sudden problem that can put your health and your family’s health at risk. If you live in a major city or any other urban area, make sure to contact backflow testing services to ensure your water remains safe.
